The Legend of Zelda: Destiny Reborn
by Writer Of Hyrule
Summary: Forced into a prophecy of which he had no part, Zeal must seek out the Princess to learn more about the disappearance of the Hero of Time, as well as the imprisonment of the Evil King Ganondorf. As his path carries him through temples and even outside of Hyrule, Zeal begins to question the very fabric of time itself as he sees just what it will have in store for future generations.
1. 1 Zeal's Awakening

**The Legend Of Zelda**

 **Destiny Reborn**

Josh Thompson

 **1: Zeal's Awakening**

He was trying with all his might to open his eyes. Breathing; breathing was not coming naturally, it was forced. Panicking; he panicked as he struggled to pry his eyes open against the bright blue glow, as he tried to breathe deeply, to get enough air, to move his fingers, his hands, his arms, his whole body to no avail. And then, just when he feared he might suffocate, the space around him seemed to shatter, an explosion of particles, dancing across his skin as he felt himself falling, dropping below, finally opening his eyes to reveal the floor beneath him growing rapidly closer. He attempted to land on his feet, but as he connected with the ground, he fell forward onto his hands and knees, coughing, choking, gasping to fill his lungs with the sweet commodity that was air.

"The time has finally come for you to awaken." Raspy and gruff, a voice spoke to him. Zeal stood and turned to face the voice. A short man stood on a higher pedestal, one of the many surrounding the central ground. His face was covered with a white mustache, running the length of his cheeks to meet at his sideburns, turning upward like a giant smile. His robes, dark brown in color, hung down below his hands and covered the floor around him, seeming to spill around his feet. Zeal looked him in the eye, and the man stared back with a gaze that was piercing, yet kind.

"I..." Zeal coughed, bringing his hand up to caress his throat. Attempting to speak caused a great deal of pain.

"For now, there is no need to speak," the old man assured him, and Zeal nodded with relief. "I am Rauru, the Sage of Light. This is the Chamber Of Sages, where you have been sleeping, your body encased in a powerful magic cast by Princess Zelda herself, shortly before the fall of Hyrule." Rauru raised a bushy eyebrow, noticing Zeal's look of complete and utter confusion. "Fear not, young warrior. I cannot expect you to remember these events. All shall be explained to you in due time, and once the effects of the magic have fully worn off, your memories will return to you. This place," he gestured gracefully to the chamber, "is where the Hero of Time has been to awaken and begin his journey to fulfill the prophecy. He and his descendants were to be the only mortals to set foot in this chamber, and yet, here you stand." Zeal shifted his stance slightly, scratching the back of his head nervously. "I am not the one to explain this to you in detail; that right belongs to Princess Zelda herself," Rauru spoke bluntly, "but I will tell you why you're awake now: The Goddesses have allowed you to heal here in the Chamber of Sages, and have answered the Princess's prayers asking to let you be given a purpose, a place in the prophecy, and to let you be awakened when that purpose revealed itself. Today is the day that you have a new purpose."

Zeal crossed his arms, looking down at the gray Triforce pedestal on which he stood, tossing Rauru's words around in his mind. The feeling of not remembering what brought him here was slightly unnerving; it wasn't that he didn't believe the old man's words, he simply needed to... know. To remember for himself.

"So," Zeal spoke now, the pain only minor as his deep yet still adolescent-sounding voice bounced off the walls of the chamber, "Shall I go speak with Princess Zelda?"

Rauru squinted slightly, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "You'll not find her easily, young Zeal. Though the magic kept your body untouched by time, you'll not find Hyrule in the same state," he paused, noticing a worried look on Zeal's face. "You've been sleeping, healing, for a decade. Much has happened in that time, including the disappearance of the Hero, and the Princess left to fight a losing battle on her own. She has since gone into hiding. Your first task, it seems, is to find her. I will tell you where to go to start your search, but that is all that I can do to help you."

Zeal ran his hand along the length of his jaw, his fingers passing over the short stubble on his chin as he pondered the situation. "How long... until I might recall the events that led to my being here?"

"With magic as powerful as this, we cannot know for certain. It could be days, or weeks. What we can know for sure, is that you will feel a stronger connection to the Princess once you finally remember. She could not be sure that you would ever awaken, and once you find her, she will surely be relieved to see you." Zeal was surprised, and he knew his face showed it. _The Princess would be happy to see him._ The thought was pleasant, and a look of determination was quickly present on his face.

"Where do I begin?"

Rauru nodded. "Go now, and make your way to Kokiri Forest. Speak with the Great Deku Tree Sprout and the Kokiri Children. They will surely send you in the right direction."

Zeal clenched his fists, unwavering, looking up at Rauru. "I'm ready. What of," he looked around the chamber, "... My weapons?"

"Ah," Rauru hesitated, disappointment in his voice. "Your sword and dagger were dropped before you were brought here. Surely it will not be an issue for you to find weapons in the Hyrule Castle Town Market." Zeal felt a twinge of sadness at these words; his mother had crafted a broadsword and dagger for him when he was just a boy, and once he came of age, he had carried them around with him anywhere he went.

"I will make do. I'm ready to begin my journey."

"Very well," Rauru spoke, firmly now, "but heed this warning: since the Hero of Time's disappearance and the Evil King having been imprisoned and sentenced to death, bandits and monsters run wild in the fields. Once outside of the castle walls, you must proceed with extreme caution. You are now chosen; you've been spared from death itself once, but you mustn't count on it to be this way again. Do you understand?" Zeal nodded proudly. "Then it is so. Go, warrior of the Goddesses, and seek the Princess." Rauru raised his hands into the air, and a white light engulfed the area. Zeal squinted, shielding his eyes from the flash as he felt his body becoming weightless, lifting off the ground. He felt that he would go blind from the searing white light, burning into his retinas as he was lost and floating and disoriented and dizzy and then-

Just as suddenly as it had started, it was over. He was on his feet, standing on the Triforce pedestal in the Temple of Time.


	2. 2 A Journey Begins

**2: A Journey Begins**

Zeal descended the steps of the Temple of Time, the sun beating down on his face as it hung low in the western sky. Reaching the bottom and stepping onto the cobblestone walkway, he threw his arms out and stretched his entire body. Ten years without movement, just as one could surmise, had left his muscles incredibly tense.

"Ahh." He sighed, dropping his arms to his sides and making his way down the second set of steps leading into the Market square. As he stepped into the open area, his jaw dropped. He stared at the buildings around him; some of them were nearly three times as tall as he remembered. An inn had been added as a third floor above the Bombchu Bowling alley, which had already been in a two story building; he saw the building that held the Treasure Box Shop, which had already been the tallest in town, now had another floor that held a restaurant: _The Royal Hyrulean Grill._ Some food certainly sounded good right about now. Hylian stew with a giant glass of Lon Lon Milk -

"Whoa! Oops!" Zeal was ripped from his pleasant thoughts as he fought to maintain his balance, stumbling sideways, finally regaining his footing. There was a loud clanging behind him, and he turned to see a Hylian soldier, fully clad in armor, clearly struggling to carry a load of weapons. The soldier's feet moved this way and that, legs shaky as he inefficiently attempted to carry a bunch of swords. Zeal guessed there could be 10 of these short swords in the soldier's arms.

"I'm sorry, stranger!" the soldier shouted, the visor on his helm pulled down to cover his face. Zeal chuckled when he heard the voice this time; this soldier was just a boy, a young teenager.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Zeal responded, brushing himself off, "let me help you with that."

"It is my duty alone to deliver these swords to the captain! I'm grateful for your offer, but I can't accept assistance," the boy replied, clearly out of breath by the end of the sentence. Zeal stepped toward him, grabbing five swords out of the mess of a bundle in his arms.

"I insist."

"If the captain sees that I have allowed a civilian to assist me in this task, surely I'll never become a knight." The boy's complaint sounded only half hearted, as he clearly appreciated the help. "Follow me." Zeal walked with the young soldier, whose armor made a soft metal-on-metal sound each time he stepped.

"What's your name, kid?" Zeal asked, as they headed north out of the Market square and onto the dirt path leading to Hyrule Castle.

"I'm Tachi!" the boy said proudly. "I'm the youngest soldier in Hyrule."

Zeal grinned. "You've got a lot of ambition. I'm sure you'll be a knight in no time."

Tachi laughed. "Thank you. It's hard work, you know. But I know that it will all pay off when I finally get promoted. I'm going to make my mom proud! What about you?" he stopped momentarily, grunting as he adjusted the load of swords. "What's your name?"

"I'm Zeal."

"Nice to meet ya, Zeal," Tachi said happily. "The way you were admiring the town … You're new around here, aren't you?"

Zeal smirked. "You know ... yeah, you could say that. Been awhile since I've been here."

The two approached the metal gate that barred further passage to Hyrule Castle.

"Well," Tachi said, "this is where I'm meeting my captain. He should be here anytime."

"I won't stick around. Don't want you to get in any trouble." Zeal set the swords on the ground, and Tachi added his and pulled them together into a neat stack. His hands finally free, the boy lifted his visor to reveal dark hair and bright blue eyes.

"Thank you so much, Zeal." Tachi stuck out his hand, and Zeal shook it firmly. "That restaurant that you saw, _The Royal Hyrulean Grill?_ My mom owns the place, and I help her when I'm off duty. Stop by sometime, she cooks a mean Tektite steak. It'll be on the house!"

Zeal smiled. "Thank you. That truly means a lot. I wish you the best of luck in your future as a Hylian Knight." He turned and walked back toward town, the sunlight fading to nothing but an orange glow in the purple sky.

Back in the Market square, Zeal knew that he needed to set out for Kokiri Forest soon; if curfew was the same as it was 10 years ago, the drawbridge would be going up anytime now.

A glint out of the corner of his eye, orange from the setting sun, caught his attention, and he looked over to where he had noticed it.

"No way!" Zeal smiled. He jogged over to the steps leading up to the Temple of Time, and there, as if falling right into his hands, was a short sword that Tachi had accidentally left behind from his giant pile of them. He picked it up, unsheathing it, and he raised his eyebrows and whistled at the sight of the blade; it was razor sharp and clean as a mirror. He considered, for a moment, returning the blade to Tachi. "Nah. I'm sure they won't miss it." He loaded the sword onto his back and glanced down at his clothes: dark greaves and a simple black shirt. He had never been much for armor; he was always more of an "offense is the best defense" kind of guy, but he wasn't sure how confident he could be in his swordplay, having not wielded a blade in a decade.

Contemplating it for a moment, he finally decided to simply set off as is. After all, Stalchildren would be no problem to fight off, and whatever else might have made the field its home in the last 10 years would simply be good practice for him to get used to wielding a sword again.

Zeal walked through town, meeting passers by with a quick, "Hi," or "Hello," occasionally an, "Excuse me," and finally made it to the drawbridge.

"Heading out, are we?" Zeal was a bit surprised; he hadn't even seen the guard sitting by the door of the storage room to his left.

"Um, yeah. I've got to get somewhere," Zeal replied, purposely with a sense of urgency in his voice.

"At this time of night? Well, let's hope you're competent with that sword on your back. Heh heh," The guard spoke with a sarcastic tone. "Young man, the fields are not even safe during the day for a lone traveler, let alone at night. If I were you, I'd stay at the inn. Get a good night's sleep and set off at dawn. What on earth are you doing that is so important that it can't wait until morning?"

Zeal raised an eyebrow. "Looking for a Princess. What's it to you, anyway? Look, I appreciate you looking out for me and all, but I can manage. Thanks." Zeal turned and walked toward the drawbridge.

The soldier laughed rudely. "Wah ha hah! Right. A Princess. Good luck with that, Mr. Hero." Shaking his head, Zeal crossed the drawbridge and walked onto the grass of Hyrule Field. He scanned the horizon and saw nothing. He knew, however, that the Stalchildren would rise anytime, and he drew his sword.

Just then, a creaking sound was heard behind him, and the castle drawbridge loudly began to lift. Zeal saw the torches on either side of it being lit by guards up on the castle walls.

"Be careful out there!" One shouted, and Zeal gave him a quick wave. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, knowing that there was no getting back into the safety of the castle for the night. Determined, he faced south, sword in hand, and began jogging toward Kokiri Forest.

As the minutes passed, Zeal began to feel a bit more at ease; he took in the scenery, and he noticed trees that he remembered from 10 years ago, now twice their size. He noticed flowers in bloom, and shrubbery that glinted with a vibrant green in the moonlight. Along with the beauty, however, he saw fallen trees; he saw burnt ground, marks of fire that had blackened the earth recently. Zeal realized, in fact, that there was a burnt smell in the air; this fire must have been started recently.

With a sickening, almost slurping sound, Zeal saw 2 Stalchildren rise out of the ground in front of him. He slowed his pace from a jog to a quick walk and gripped his sword tightly with both hands. The creatures, skeletons with pieces of flesh hanging from their bones, their eyes glowing an evil blood-red, hobbled toward him.

"Heh. Come on!" Zeal shouted, and without giving them a chance to attack, he swung his sword at the Stalchild to the right of him, dealing a crushing blow across its ribs, feeling the creature disintegrate against his sword. He gritted his teeth and gracefully stepped to the left, bringing his sword through the space in front of him as fluidly as if he were simply pulling a ribbon through the air. Connecting with the neck of the other Stalchild, his blade carved its path through, and with the same momentum, Zeal brought the sword up, spun it in his right hand, and sheathed it. The second Stalchild crumbled to the ground, and Zeal stuck out his chest.

"Yeah! 10 years without a blade, and I've still got it!" He shouted to the sky with pride. Grinning, he continued to jog toward Kokiri Forest.

A couple of hours had passed now; he knew that he was at the halfway point between the castle and the forest. To his left, he could still see the stairs that led up to Kakariko Village, though from his perspective, they had almost disappeared behind the chunk of land that rose over the small brook nearby. He continued on, choosing to save his blade in case he encountered a stronger enemy; the Stalchildren weren't worth dulling the sword, and he had no means of sharpening it. As Stalchildren rose out of the ground, 2 or 3 at a time, he simply laughed and ran past them.

Zeal could see the hollow, dead trees on either side, that led to the tunnel entrance to Kokiri Forest. He stopped suddenly, an aroma filling his nostrils. Something… something was cooking. He crouched down and squinted, staring at the hollow. He could make out a faint orange color dancing on the rock walls. Holding his breath, he focused on trying to hear something. He could make out human voices. 2, possibly more. With the hollow still a good quarter of a mile ahead, he jogged toward it.

Coming up on the hollow entrance, Zeal could hear the voices clearly now, and the smell of flame roasted meat was incredibly tantalizing. He entered the hollow, crouching down, silently moving past the dead trees. He could hear that the 2 people were just around the corner, right in front of the Kokiri Forest tunnel.

"Oi! Speaking o' which, did ya 'ear tha' a couple o' the others saw her?" one man lazily spoke, sloppily chewing food between words. Zeal hugged the corner of the wall, his heart pounding. _Come on, calm down. Maybe they're not bandits,_ he thought, though he knew that they most likely were.

"Saw who?" the other replied. Zeal noticed that he sounded a bit more intelligent than the first.

"Tha Princess, ya idiot!" the first man gruffly shouted. Zeal's eyes widened and he listened intently. "She was makin' 'er way to Death Mountain. They tried to get 'er, but she hurried into Kakariko an' the guards drove our boys away. Shame, too. She's a pretty one." Zeal plucked up the courage to peek around the corner, and he got a good look at the 2 men: the loud one was huge, about the size of a bear. The quiet one was definitely smaller, probably just a bit taller than Zeal. They both wore the breastplates of Hylian knights; their leggings were pure black in color and didn't look very thick, and their helms were fashioned from Stalfos skulls. Though they looked slightly menacing, Zeal didn't feel that they were too much of a threat. They were sitting across from each other at their fire, and he was at a 90 degree angle from them; if they were to look this way, they would certainly see his head sticking out past the wall of rock.

"Maybe if the boss would hire more competent men like us, she would have been caught there and then. Had that been you and me, she would be dead, and we wouldn't have to be sitting here." The smaller bandit took a bite of roasted bird meat.

"'Ey! You know tha' it would be against the boss's orders to kill 'er!" the large bandit yelled, seemingly incredulous that the other would suggest such an idea. Zeal had heard enough. He stood and walked around the corner. Although he was extremely nervous, he walked quickly toward the small bandit.

"Well, well, what have we here?" the short bandit stood, dropping his piece of roasted bird to the ground. "A little Hylian out for a walk-" Zeal rushed him, quickly forcing the bandit up against the rock wall and pinning him there across the chest with his forearm.

"What do you know about where the Princess is?" Zeal spoke calmly to the man, not allowing his anger to show. The man was clearly shocked, and he let out a surprised laugh.

"Get a load of this guy!" he said, struggling against Zeal's grip. The large bandit stood and began coming toward them. Zeal drew his sword and pointed it at him.

"Don't do it. I'm willing to let you both live. You tell me what I need to know, and we go our separate ways. Tell me." He pushed his arm tighter against the bandit, moving it up to his neck as the man began to choke. The large bandit walked back toward the fire, and Zeal saw him pick up a spear that had been laying on the ground. He came at Zeal, running toward him. The bandit had called his bluff.

Zeal released his hold on the smaller bandit and, while the 2 were near him, away from their fire and the tunnel, he made a break for it. Sprinting with all his might, he entered the tunnel. He heard a loud crack, and he felt the air of something flying past his ear. It grazed his cheek as he ran, and he saw as it flew in front of him that it was the spearhead. The bandit, in one last attempt to land an attack, must have missed with a spear throw and hit the wall of the tunnel, breaking off the spearhead. Thanking the Goddesses that he wasn't hit by the weapon, Zeal sprinted across the little bridge and through the second tunnel, finally arriving in Kokiri Forest.

The tunnel opened up into a clearing, and in the darkness, Zeal could see the little forest fireflies flitting about. He sheathed his sword and bent down, resting his hands on his knees, a sharp pain in his side, trying to catch his breath. He was not used to this. He had been _scared._ He found it hard to believe, and he felt… _meek._ The word in his head sounded ridiculous. He had lost faith in his own abilities as a warrior. Something needed to change, and he vowed to train, to get used to battling like before.

Brushing off the feeling of disappointment with himself, he saw that the sun's rays were beginning to pierce the thick veil of night. He was exhausted. _10 years of sleep, and I'm tired already?_ He attempted to smile at his own sarcasm, which promptly turned into a wince. Walking was not easy; he felt as though he had to force his body forward.

Zeal made it to the small pond at the far side of the forest. He couldn't do this right now, he wouldn't make it to the Great Deku Tree Sprout without rest. Glancing around, holding his side, trying to stifle the stabbing pain, he lumbered forward and into a house to his right.

Stumbling in, Zeal noticed a green-haired Kokiri girl, sitting at a small desk across from the entrance. She was looking into a mirror, seemingly getting ready for the day. He paid her no mind as he plopped himself down on the bed nearby. Startled from the noise, the girl turned.

"Hey!" she shouted and stood from the desk, walking over to the edge of the bed. "You can't just barge in and use somebody's bed without permission! Hey, Mister! Are you listening to me?!"

But Zeal was already fast asleep.


	3. 3 The Legend of Zeal

**3\. The Legend Of Zeal**

 **Things to do:**

 **1\. Ask the Kokiri about the Princess**

 **2\. Talk to the Great Deku Tree Sprout**

"Mister warrior. Hey," a voice spoke softly, and Zeal opened one eye slowly to see the Kokiri Girl leaning down, her face a couple of feet away from his. "You fell asleep so fast that I finally gave up on trying to kick you out." Zeal groggily pulled himself up, leaning his back against the wall behind him, legs sprawled out on the bed. A blanket had been pulled over him.

"My sword," he said through a yawn, noticing that it was no longer on his back.

"Oh, you looked uncomfortable with your sword still on your back, and you started shivering in your sleep. I put a blanket on you and put your sword over here," The Kokiri girl gestured to the foot of the bed. She walked over and bent down, picking up his sword and placing it neatly on the bed at Zeal's feet.

"Thank you," Zeal's voice was still lined with sleepiness. "I'm sorry. I just… I was so tired."

The girl giggled. "At first, I thought you might be a bandit. The Deku Tree Sprout's magic keeps them out, but I thought that maybe somehow … ," She trailed off. "Anyway, the more I looked at you, it seemed to me that you really don't have the look of one of those dirty bandits." Zeal smiled, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and onto the floor. He stood and picked up his sword, putting it on his back.

"I can assure you that I'm no bandit. How long was I sleeping?" Zeal asked. The girl giggled again. Her personality was very bubbly.

"You slept all morning and into the afternoon! I wasn't sure if I should even assume that you're a warrior! Warriors aren't usually a pile of lazy bones." She smiled, and Zeal laughed and smiled back.

"I'm Zeal." He stuck out his hand, and the girl shook it.

"I'm Saria. Nice to meet you, Zeal." She cocked her head to the side slightly. "What brings you here, Zeal? It's not often that we get visitors." Zeal scratched the back of his head.

"Well… I've got to talk to the Deku Tree Sprout, but maybe you can help me too."

Saria thought for a moment. "Well, what is it about?" Zeal wondered just how much he could say before Saria stopped believing him. It was, after all, something that would sound ridiculous to practically anybody he told. He finally decided that it wouldn't hurt to at least try to tell her.

"I'm here because I'm trying to find Princess Zelda," He sighed, an odd feeling coming over him as the words left his mouth. Saria's eyes lit up.

"Are you … do you know Link?!" she almost shouted, causing Zeal to jump slightly.

"Um, well … I don't really _know_ him … I guess you could say that I'm wondering where he might be, too." Saria's expression quickly changed, and she looked to be on the verge of tears.

"I … I'm sorry. I got a bit carried away there. I thought that you might have ties to Link, since you're looking for Zelda. Nobody has seen Link for years, and I miss him dearly. This forest was his childhood home, you know," She wiped the tears from her eyes. "But he was not a true Kokiri. Over the years, he has surely grown and changed. We, on the other hand, stay this way." Zeal empathized with Saria; she was the Hero's childhood friend, stuck here while he left Hyrule to go do who knows what. "Zelda, though," she continued, "She was here. Recently." Zeal practically jumped for joy now.

"When?" He tried to contain his excitement.

"Just days ago. She came to speak with the Great Deku Tree Sprout as well," Saria replied, her mood seeming to lift slightly. "If you're going to go speak with him, tell Mido that you're searching for Link and Zelda. He'll let you through if he believes that you're a friend of Link's." Zeal nodded, brushing himself off quickly.

"Thank you, Saria! I've got to go," He stuck out his hand once more, and she shook it.

"You're welcome, Zeal. Stop by again sometime, I'll give you a little tour of the Lost Woods next time you're here." She smiled, and Zeal turned and jogged out of the house.

Zeal approached the eastern edge of the forest, crossing the shallow pond and reaching the hollow where a Kokiri boy stood, hands on his hips, his expression immediately one of annoyance.

"Where do you think you're going, Mister?" he asked, his voice very nasally. Zeal stuck out his hand.

"Mido, my name is Zeal. I'm on a journey searching for Princess Zelda, and I have information that leads me to believe that she's been here. The sooner I find her, the sooner I can get some more info on where Link might be," Zeal spoke simply. Surprisingly, Mido's annoyed expression changed to one of wonder. He gripped Zeal's hand and shook it firmly.

"I … I don't know what to say," he replied. "I certainly wasn't expecting to hear anything like that. Are you a Hylian guard? And how do you know my name?" Mido's tone relaxed, but he stood his ground. His eyes were on the handle of Zeal's sword, just behind his right shoulder where it stuck out above his back.

"I'm not a guard. I'm a friend of the Princess's, and a friend of Saria's as well," Zeal unsheathed his sword, and Mido's eyes widened. "Here, I saw you eyeing the sword. Wanna take a look?" Zeal turned the blade toward himself and the handle toward Mido. Mido slowly, carefully, reached up and gripped the sword's handle. He stepped back and let the sword swing in his hand like a pendulum.

"Gee, Mister Zeal, this sword is heavy! You must be strong. Maybe," Mido swung the sword around playfully, "you can teach me how to use it sometime."

"That would be fun." Zeal smiled sincerely.

"You've gotta promise! If you promise to come back and teach me how to use a sword like this, I'll let you go see the Great Deku Tree Sprout!" Mido handed the sword back to Zeal, and Zeal laughed.

"Okay, okay. I'll come back. I promise."

Mido stepped aside. "Alright, I'm counting on you!" Zeal nodded happily and walked into the small opening that led to the Great Deku Tree Sprout. Thick vines covered the rock walls, and as Zeal stepped into an open area, he noticed a thin mist blanketing the air as well as the smell of flowers in the breeze. It all evoked feelings of peace and pleasantness. Walking through the mist, he saw a tree, the size of which was surprising; it was about twice as tall as Zeal, and quite wide. Behind it, further back, was the giant shell of the Great Deku Tree, still failing to wither away completely after a decade.

"Young one, come closer," a voice, ethereal, traveled through the air. Zeal stepped forward, now able to make out the face of the Great Deku Tree Sprout. He knelt in front of the future Deku Tree and bowed his head.

"Please, stand. Tell me what it is that brings you to my forest." Zeal stood and looked into the Sprout's dark eyes.

"I'm here to ask you about Princess Zelda," Zeal responded clearly.

"So," the sprout spoke, "you are the young man that has lost his memory. The young man that the Princess prayed would come to me." Surprised, Zeal nodded affirmatively. "You are seeking Princess Zelda to learn more about what happened that day, as well as to thank her for saving your life." Zeal nodded again. "I will tell you the truth about the magic that was cast on you. Is this what you wish to know?"

"Yes," Zeal was slightly confused now.

"Very well. The Princess used as much of her power as she could to save your life. This magic crystallized around your body, and you were kept safe, healing in the Chamber of Sages. However, this was not the magic that took your memories from you," the Sprout paused, noticing Zeal's look of complete and utter bewilderment. "No, young one. Princess Zelda took certain memories from you. Memories that you would need, should you ever awaken at all. She did this to ensure that you would seek her out to regain them, if her prayers came true." Zeal's head was spinning. She took his memories from him on purpose? Why? What could have made that necessary? Surely he would have seeked her out anyway, even if he didn't truly need something from her. His look of confusion must have been apparent on his face. "Do not fret, Zeal. With the Hero of Time nowhere to be found, the Princess simply needed to be sure that you would come to her if you woke from your slumber."

"So there was a chance that I might not have woken up at all," Zeal said, looking at the ground as a feeling of sorrow washed over him. The Sprout hesitated.

" … Yes. I cannot explain this further, that right lies only with the Princess. This is for you." The Sprout's leaves rustled and something bright and shiny flew out of them and straight at Zeal. Catching the object, he immediately noticed that it was covered in a green flame, yet cool to the touch. A gem sparkled brilliantly in the center of the fire.

"Princess Zelda left this for you. It is a fragment of your memory that has been blessed by one of the Golden Goddesses. Breathe deeply and accept **Farore's Blessing**."

Zeal held the green gem to his chest, and in an instant, he was pulled deeply into his own mind.

 _"That's it! Don't falter!" The Royal Captain shouted, jumping back as he held his shield in front of him. Zeal rushed him._

 _"Hyyyah!" In a swift motion, he knocked the captain's shield away, quickly grabbed him by the breastplate of his armor, and held his blade up to the Captain's neck._

 _"Ha! That's it, Zeal! That's it! Wonderful!" The captain stood and grabbed Zeal's shoulder happily. "You're becoming a fine swordsman yet! Now," he paused momentarily, "Don't let your guard down!" The captain quickly swung his sword at Zeal, and Zeal barely managed to block it with his own blade in time. Gracefully jumping into the air, Zeal brought his sword down, and the captain blocked it, metal clanging against metal. The two were each swinging very quickly at each other now, swords not resting fore more than a second at a time. Zeal grinned as they fought; he loved this rigorous training, and he couldn't wait to be able to apply it practically._

 _Sheathing their weapons and cleaning up the training room, the captain spoke to Zeal._

 _"Your skill with a blade has improved tremendously. I can't believe I'm saying this, but," he chuckled, "I believe that your skill now surpasses my own." Zeal smiled proudly at this; he had been waiting for this day, the day that he would be ready, physically and mentally, to serve his people. Silently admiring the black steel of his sword and dagger for a moment, Zeal put them on his back, and he and the captain walked out of the training area and into the orange rays of the setting sun._

Zeal opened his eyes quickly, brought back to the real world. He remembered; he remembered how to _truly_ wield a sword now. He couldn't believe that he had run from the bandits; at this point, it seemed like a cowardly and preposterous idea.

"You've remembered a piece of your past," the Great Deku Tree Sprout's majestic voice sang through the misty air. Zeal nodded.

"Yes. I'm ready to continue my search for Princess Zelda." The Sprout nodded back.

"With Hyrule in its current state," He spoke, "the Princess has gone to the Temples of Worship to pray to the goddesses. When she left this forest, she mentioned that her next destination was the Fire Temple in Death Mountain, just past Goron City." Zeal thought about this for a few seconds.

"I will travel through Kakariko Village and up to Death Mountain. Will the Goron people be willing to assist me with information?"

"Yes," the Sprout said affirmatively. "The Goron people are a kind race. They are sure to welcome you with open arms to their city, and their Chief, Darunia, will be the one to speak with about the Princess." With this, Zeal was eager to set out. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head slowly.

"I thank you for your assistance," he said, and rose to his feet.

"It is my duty, young Zeal, to guide the one chosen by the Goddesses. Go now, and be cautious on your perilous journey." Zeal turned around and jogged out of the small clearing, passing Mido, jumping across the small pond and reaching the tunnel that led out to Hyrule Field.


	4. 4 Zeal Of The Wild

**4\. Zeal Of The Wild**

 **Things to do:**

 **1\. Set out for the Fire Temple**

Confidently, coolly, Zeal jogged across the bridge that led outside of the forest, right back into the small hollow where the bandits had been. Now, remembering everything he had learned of the art of the blade, he was ready to teach these bandits a lesson.

Stepping through the second tunnel and out onto the grass, Zeal saw that the only things left of the bandits' presence were blackened wood from their campfire and bones of the roasted bird they had been chowing down on. Zeal scoffed.

"Of course. _Now_ they're gone, when I wouldn't have a problem taking them on. Go figure." He walked past the charred wood and further through the hollow as it opened into the field. The afternoon sun was still high enough in the sky that its heat could be annoying. Zeal looked down at his clothes.

"Yep. Black shirt, black greaves, black gloves, and black hair. Don't you worry, sun, I'll just go ahead and absorb all that heat. Geeze." He was laughing at himself as he walked in the direction of Kakariko Village. This time of day, although hot, was a good time to be out enjoying the scenery. He could actually see things in detail now. On the horizon to the left of him, he could see Lon Lon Ranch. He had never been there, but he certainly knew of it; the place was famous for its Lon Lon Milk. He stared in the ranch's direction for a moment, realizing that he was incredibly thirsty. He knew he didn't have time to dilly dally, but … The ranch wasn't far, and they _did_ have Lon Lon Milk, so …

"What the-?" Zeal held his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun, and he could see a large group heading toward the entrance of the ranch. They were all on horses, and moving at full speed. He squinted, and he gasped in surprise as he was able to make out the gear they wore: Stalfos helms. "Bandits." He spoke aloud, and without a second thought he began sprinting in their direction. The ranch wasn't far in the distance; Zeal guessed it was only around a half mile. He continued to sprint, surprised at his own endurance, having not had any food or drink since awakening.

Zeal approached the short wooden pillars bordering the ranch's entrance. He looked around, seeing no one else approaching. Drawing his sword, he took a deep breath and sprinted up the walkway.

Zeal crouched down between the houses right near the entrance. He could see further in, where a giant corral stood to keep the horses, directly in the center of what looked to be a makeshift racetrack. In the center of the corral, Zeal could see the entire group of bandits; eight of them in total. They were harassing the horses and seemingly trying to tie them up to their own horses. He figured that he'd need a plan of attack, and he'd need to get rid of them before night fell.

Suddenly remembering the fact that there were obviously people who lived on this ranch, Zeal moved forward slightly to get a better look, to see if anybody was out in the corral, in danger. He saw nobody. He glanced at the door of the house to his left; it had windows on the top floor, looking to be the place where the family stayed. Quietly, he tried the knob, and to his surprise, the door opened with a soft creak.

Inside the house, Zeal shut the door softly behind him, locking it this time. He stood from his crouch and took in the sight of the house, an interesting one: this bottom floor was clearly made as a pen for the Cuccos that ran around him frantically, noisily "ba-kaw!"-ing all the while. In the corner was a pile of hay, which looked to be bedding for them, and there was a pitchfork and a rake in the corner as well. Zeal guessed that all of this might be pretty typical for a ranch house. There was a table in front of him and to the right, and further back near it were stairs that led … he followed them with his eyes all the way up to the second floor, where he could see a closed door. He hoped that the owners of the ranch were up there safe.

Walking up the stairs slowly, Zeal reached the door, trying the knob, and the door creaked open; the hinges sounded like the door was too much for them and might give at any moment. As the door swung wide open, Zeal stepped into the bedroom.

The high pitched sound of metal through the air caused Zeal to turn to his left immediately. His reflexes kicked in and he slid sideways, barely being missed by a frying pan that was bigger than his head.

"Stay back!" a short, rotund man shouted nervously, the fear clear in his voice. He cowered in the corner. A taller, much thinner man stood there with him; they were holding each other like frightened children. Zeal did a quick double take as, a little further to the right, he saw a table tipped over on its side, the top of it toward him, and the head of a dark red-haired girl just barely visible above the edge of it as she peeked over it.

"I've got more where that came from, so you and your friends had better leave us alone!" the girl yelled. "Take what you want from the ranch and LEAVE!" Zeal saw her fumbling for something else to throw while not taking her gaze off of him.

"Hey, hey, whoa! Stop!" Zeal put his hands out in front of him. "No, you've got it wrong! I'm not one of them! I'm here to help!" The girl held up another metal pan and cocked her arm back.

"Oh yeah? Then how did you get in here, huh?!" without hesitating, she launched the pan at Zeal, and he ducked out of the way as it slammed against the open door behind him.

"The door wa-" _CLANG!_

"Yes! Third time's the charm! Got 'em!" the girl shouted happily. Zeal fell hard on the wooden floor and the black circles began to envelop his vision.

"Well do ya think he's really with them? Nobody else has tried to come in, it seems like they just want the horses," The voice of the heavy set man was quiet, "and he ain't dressed like them, either."

"How on earth did he get in here then, Dad?!" the girl was irritated.

"Well… I might've… " he started..

"Oh, Dad… Don't tell me that you really forgot to lock the door! When we are being raided by bandits?!" she was whispering sharply at him. Her father was silent, seemingly embarrassed at his mistake.

"Ugghh…" Zeal opened his eyes to just a slit, and he could see the girl and her father kneeling over him. He opened them completely and blinked a few times. This close, staring at her, he noticed that the girl's eyes were a stunning bright blue. "Uh, hi. Look," he said without moving, "if you could, just… _not_ hit me with a pan again, I'd love to help you get rid of these bandits. I really didn't see that third pan coming, you're clearly skilled with… throwing things." Her father stifled a laugh and the girl raised an eyebrow. "Really, I'm just here to help. I was passing by and saw them heading to the ranch. I came in here to make sure the owners, presumably you, were okay. And yes," he took a deep breath and sighed, "the door was unlocked."

The girl shot a glare at her father, and he smiled nervously.

"I'm… gonna go check on Ingo," her father stood and half walked, half ran to the door leading downstairs. Zeal lifted his hand up, perpendicular to his body as he lay there.

"I'm Zeal." The girl, a look of relief apparent on her face, shook his hand softly.

"I'm Malon. That man that was just here is my father, Talon. The other man you saw hiding in the corner with him is our ranch hand. His name is Ingo." The girl's tone was much more relaxed.

"Well good to meet all of you. Now look," Zeal said, "I'm going to stand up. Please don't surprise me with another pan, alright?" This time the girl laughed. Zeal stood, and Malon did the same.. She walked over to the table and picked something up from behind it.

"Here," she handed him his sword. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to protect everyone and be as careful as possible." Zeal grinned, which turned into a laugh. She laughed again too, and he could swear that he was starting to become smitten.

"It's okay, don't even worry about it. I'm sure I would have done the same in your position. How long was I out?" he could still see through the curtains that the sun was shining brightly.

"Only about five minutes." Zeal massaged the side of his head, feeling a small bump where the frying pan had struck him.

"Well next time, throw it a little harder. Can never have enough sleep," Zeal joked, slightly flirtatiously. _Coming from a guy that's had ten years of it all at once … how cheesy._ His own thought made him laugh as Malon laughed at his joke. Though he was having fun chatting with her, Zeal knew that he needed to act fast if he had any plans of getting rid of these bandits _and_ making it to Kakariko Village today.

"Alright, let's make a plan of attack. I'm going to need some help," Zeal started, and he began heading toward the bedroom door, Malon following close by. "I could do it alone if it were three or four. Eight of them, though, that would be tough." They walked down the stairs to meet Talon and Ingo on the ground floor with the cuccos. Zeal stuck out his hand to Talon.

"My name's Zeal. I'm going to help you get rid of these horse thieves." Talon gripped his hand tightly, and Zeal had to force himself not to grimace from the strong handshake.

"Talon. Sorry about the hit to the head," he replied, "Malon is passionate about those horses and this ranch, and she'd do anything to keep us safe. So you sure you're not … with them?" he glanced at Malon, and she shook her head. "Ah. Well if Malon trusts you, we certainly can. Ingo!" he called the slim man over. "This is Zeal. He'll be getting rid of these darn bandits."

Ingo walked over slowly, not seeming to care much about the situation now that he knew he was safe. Zeal reached out to shake his hand and Ingo limply, lazily returned the handshake, not saying a word. He strode back to the side of the room with the cuccos. Zeal figured he might've been offended by Ingo's rudeness had there been nothing else to worry about at the moment. He shrugged it off and looked back to Talon and Malon.

"Alright, we need to get a plan together. I'm thinking it might be best to get them all at once right when they're leaving. I can take some of them with my sword, but it will have to be a surprise attack. The rest of them, we'll have to get another way." Zeal's mind was running a million miles an hour, far faster than he could speak. He quickly attempted to collect his thoughts.

"We can push something from the top window onto them as they're leaving," Malon spoke up. Zeal looked at her, pleasantly surprised.

"Yes! What do you have that would be heavy enough in here?" Zeal looked around.

"We could use the furniture," Talon said, looking to Malon for approval.

"Dad! We need that stuff!" she spoke sassily, and Zeal chuckled. "But," she said, "across from here, in the stables, we store crates full of fresh milk. Huge tanks inside of them." Talon looked worried as she said this. "Dad, please think about it! We can always get more milk, and we have plenty of crates!" Talon looked from Zeal to Malon.

"Well, okay. We can't deliver any milk without our horses, after all." At this, Malon nodded proudly.

"Good! So let's go! I've got the key to the stables, which I might add, IS locked, as it should be," she continued to tease her father, and he sighed, brushing it off.

Zeal, Talon, and Malon left the ranch house, not bothering to ask Ingo to help. As they all filed out of the doorway, they closed it behind them, hearing a _snick!_ as it was locked from inside.

"Oh Ingo, will your rudeness ever go away?" Malon sighed. "I've got the keys anyway." She quietly led them across the small gap between the buildings to the stable door. She unlocked it and hurried Zeal and Talon inside. She shut the door and Zeal looked around at the stable. Nothing too out of the ordinary; small areas for the horses to stay, saddles hanging on the walls. He supposed this was also typical for a ranch.

"Up there," Malon pointed to the second floor of the stable, right above the door, and Zeal saw four wooden crates with an image of a bull's head on each of them.

"Is there a window up there?" he asked, having not seen one when he was outside before.

"There's a small barn door up there that can be opened outward," she replied. "So should we just go up and wait for them to leave?" Zeal nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds like a pretty g-"

"HEY! Yeah, they went in here!" A voice shouted from right outside the door. Malon, a look of terror on her face, quickly turned to Zeal.

"They saw us?! I didn't think they were close enough!" she found her composure and began climbing the ladder. _BOOM!_ Zeal snapped his gaze to the door, which visibly bent as it was rammed by something.

"Oi! Let us in or we're breaking this door down!" one of the bandits shouted through the wooden walls of the stable. More talking could be heard as the rest of the bandits approached.

"Take the horses and leave!" Malon yelled. "You got what you wanted, now go!"

"Oh, my dear, we got what we wanted alright, but we'll have you as a little bonus!" Upon hearing this, Zeal's rage began to build. Talon, having been quiet this entire time, stuck out his chest.

"Don't you talk to my daughter that way, you dirty rat!" He growled through his teeth. He started to head toward the door.

"Talon, Talon. Don't do that," Zeal stepped in front of him, still trying to contain his own anger. "Go up with Malon. I'll be up after you and we can push the crates down. The door should hold until then." Talon, coming to his senses, nodded and climbed up the ladder.

"Oh yes, sir! We're going to come in there and rip you apart! And then your pretty little daughter will be all ours! She's coming with us!" another bandit taunted.

"We'll all have new horses and a new bride to share!" another chimed in, and Talon, halfway up the ladder, looked down at Zeal. Zeal gave him an upward nod, and Talon continued climbing the ladder. By now, Zeal's anger was boiling.

"I'm opening the door," he spoke softly to Talon and Malon.

"Zeal, you can't! I can see that you're angry, but let it go! We'll only have the advantage if we surprise them this way!" Malon spoke frantically, trying to keep her voice down. Her words might as well have bounced off of Zeal.

"Stay where you are. I'm taking the ladder down." Zeal quickly leaned the ladder against the opposite wall, to Malon's dismay.

"Zeal, please! They'll kill you! I'm opening the barn door now, but we need your help to push these crates! Please!" she was begging him, but Zeal's mind was made up. Their words, their … evil intentions. He was severely bothered by them, though he really did not know why. He approached the door, drawing his sword. He could hear the bandits talking amongst each other right outside. Standing to the side of it, around the corner, he reached over and unlocked the door. The bandits heard this, and the door flung open. Zeal clinged to the wall as a tall man walked through the doorway. The man's hair fell down into his eyes, and he had a beard, long and matted, that had grown long enough to hang down at his chest.

"Where are you, my lovely little ranch girl?" Zeal could smell the bandit's foul breath from a foot behind him. The man looked side to side, his back to Zeal, and finally turned around, beady black eyes falling on Zeal.

Without a single hesitation, Zeal stepped forward with lightning speed and grabbed the bandit by the beard, slamming him to the ground and running him through with his sword. The bandit grunted, and Zeal looked up to the doorway. The bandit at the front of the group was shocked, and Zeal approached him swiftly before he could react, driving his blade through the torso. The bandit fell to his knees and to the ground. Zeal backed into the stable again to use the doorway to his advantage; he wasn't about to get attacked by more than two of these guys at once.

Instantly, Zeal's eyes snapped to a disturbance in the air of the doorway: A black mist that had come from the body of the bandit he had just slain. He stared, as if time itself were frozen, and he saw the body burst into a dark cloud. _They're… they're not human?_

"Zeal! Look out!" Malon screamed desperately, her voice straining. Zeal was pulled from his thoughts just in time as a bandit came at him with an axe. Focused now, he knocked the axe swing away and sliced across the throat of the bandit. Instantly, the being became nothing but a cloud of darkness that traveled upward and faded into the air. Having not been bothered by it initially, Zeal had even less of a second thought about slaying these things now. He rushed out through the doorway and swung his sword hard at the first two that he saw. His blade sliced through both of them and they faded into darkness. There were now four left, and they had him surrounded.

"Aww, what's wrong, boy?" one of them sneered, "Don't you know who we are?"

Zeal rushed him and swung his foot across the ground, tripping the bandit, following up by thrusting his sword into the chest. Just like the others, this one faded into nothingness right before Zeal's eyes. Five down, three to go. Between the houses, he had limited room to move. They were blocking his way to the corral, and he did not want to take the battle into Hyrule Field, for fear that reinforcements might show up.

"Hylian booooooooy," one of them sang, and Zeal turned his gaze to the bandit on the left. He quickly threw something at Zeal, and Zeal stepped out of the way with ease.

"Come on! Is that the best you've got?!" Zeal taunted them now, and the three bandits suddenly relaxed from their battle stances, looking at one another and grinning menacingly. "Huh?" Zeal heard a fizzing sound behind him, and he turned around just in time to see a bomb flashing red. "Whoa!" He dove to the doorway just as the bomb was exploding. Caught in the blast, he slammed into the doorframe hard, his ribs and back now in terrible pain. He was fighting not to pass out, and he saw his sword laying out in the grass between the houses. He crawled backward into the barn, reaching the door and trying to shut it before the bandits approached. They suddenly appeared at the doorway, and Zeal gritted his teeth.

"Oh ho ho, little Hylian. You fight as though you were an angry child," This bandit, the one that had thrown the bomb, stood just outside the doorway, staring down at him. "Did we get under your skin _that_ badly?" He had dark red hair that fell down just over his eyes, but he looked to be of higher rank than the other bandits. Zeal stayed where he was, and the bandit walked back to Zeal's sword, picking it up. "Pretending to be a Hylian Soldier, are we? These swords are not toys, and surely you've learned a little lesson today." His tone was condescending and snide, and Zeal _hated_ the sound of it. "What a learning experience indeed, to be killed by your own sword. Since you won't be around for long anyway … I send you the Great Ganondorf's warmest regards." He held the blade up above his head, and Zeal saw the other two bandits, right behind their leader, smiling over his shoulder. Zeal screwed his eyes shut and held his breath.

"Huh?" he opened his eyes when he heard the leader's voice, and just as he did, he saw two crates of milk come crashing down, instantly crushing all three of the bandits. Completely stunned, he struggled to catch his breath, wincing at the pain in his ribs, and suddenly Zeal began to laugh. Hysterically, ridiculously, uncontrollably, he laughed and winced and cried and gasped and laughed some more.

The laughter beginning to die down, he pulled himself backward with his hands until he reached the foot of the ladder, and he managed to swing it back over to Malon and Talon's side.

"Zeal, what in the world are you laughing at?" Malon climbed down the ladder, followed by Talon. But Zeal couldn't answer. He was sprawled out on the ground, and now that he was still, he laughed some more. And some more. And soon enough, Talon began to laugh. Then, Malon began laughing. They were all laughing together, and even through the pain, Zeal was happy that they were happy. He was happy that they were safe.


End file.
